Our Story

This is for those people in our lives who never got a chance to have the "full" story of how Levi and Mary Beth came to be. Or for those who want to hear it from my perspective. Or just for those who are curious!

Easter 2012

Levi and I "met" in December of 2011. In case you're doing some quick math in your head at the moment (and kudos to you if you are!), yes, that does mean that he and I have known each other for less than a year. I was living in Kansas, and he was living in Minnesota. Now, you might be doing some calculating in your head (look how sharp you are, gentle reader!) and wondering how in the world we met.

Well, if you'll look above, you'll notice that the word "met" is in quotation marks. That's because we met online! That's right, we're one of those online dating success stories. And proud of it, might we add!

For my part, I'd ended up in a town of less than 1,000 people in Kansas teaching high school English because jobs just weren't available where I went to school in Wichita. I went alone, and it was a huge leap of faith to trust that God wanted me that far away from anyone I knew. I grew enormously and my faith deepened incredibly, but it often took large amounts of pain and screwing up. Due to a large number of factors, I ventured into the world of online dating.

Levi at 17

Levi took his own very similar leap of faith last year and moved to Minnesota for his job. He wins the moving contest because he 20 hours away from family! He told himself that it was his time to enjoy his singleness and live his life to the fullest. He had endless opportunities, and didn't have to worry about another person! He could finally backpack as much as he wanted!

He quickly realized that it actually really sucked. At least for him. He wanted someone to share his life with, and he was ready for it. A co-worker had been telling him about meeting his wife online and how great it had been for them. So, one night, Levi worked himself up to check it out.

We both felt a little strange about it, and the process grew tougher over time, so Levi stopped checking the site, and I deleted all my matches. But I had this one new one. His profile didn't stand out, but something made me interested. So I took a chance and started a small communication. Levi told me later that if I hadn't sent that he'd never even have known I existed. We still shake our heads when we realize how close we came to missing each other!

We began writing each other just after Christmas of 2011. Our letters grew longer and longer as we wrote every day. We found ourselves drawn to each other and wanting to open up, and we became great friends. He soon asked me if he could call me on the phone, so after huge amounts of nervousness, we had our first phone conversation. His sweet southern drawl and sharp wit wouldn't let me go. He was stuck on my three different laughs. We talked for an hour and a half.






The next time we talked for two and half hours.

Then three and a half.

Then five.

Then five.

Then five.

We were hooked.




Then he asked to meet me. It had been just over three weeks since our first e-mail, but we were both so ready to meet our best friend. And we were both desperately hoping that the crucial element would show up: chemistry.


And so, two weeks later, just a month after our first e-mail, a slender and sweet man showed up on my doorstep with a huge grin and an awestruck look. I gazed up at him, more than a little struck, twisted my toe into the ground, and looked down shyly. We could finally breathe a sigh of relief: not only had we become best friends, but we were also attracted to each other. Over the course of one day we became boyfriend and girlfriend, had our first smooch (and many subsequent smooches!), and told each other we loved each other. I know it can boggle some minds, but that's what was right for us!

As he left after that magical weekend he told me that he was going to make me his. That put me on cloud nine, and little did I know that he made plans his whole way back. He bought a ring just a few days later.

But it wasn't until my Sprig Break in March 2012 that he could propose. Thankfully, our families didn't think we were crazy, and we actually had the chance to meet both sets of parents that break. He asked my father for my hand and proposed a few days later!

After the shortest engagement we could manage (three months), we got married in June. The wedding was small, intimate, and really simple. We loved it!

Now we've been married for two months, and we're just getting started on this whole marriage thing. So far, we love it! We get to live with our best friend, snuggle every single day, make super cool and inventive food together, give each other grace, and ask for the other's forgiveness every day--in my case, sometimes more than once!

It's pretty cool to see the ways God wants to refine us, and it's even more cool that we get to do it together.